1. The present invention generally relates to a magneto-optical disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus which writes and/or reads an information signal on and/or from a writable disc and, more particularly, is directed to a magnetic head holding apparatus for holding a magnetic head of the type such that the magnetic head is brought in contact with a magneto-optical disc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional magneto-optical disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus employ a gimbal spring or the like to cause a magnetic head, which is used to generate an external magnetic field onto a magneto-optical disc, to come in contact with the surface of the magneto-optical disc to write and/or read an information signal in and/or from the magneto-optical disc.
This contact type magneto-optical disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a mechanism for retracting the magnetic head so that the magnetic head can be prevented from coming in contact with the magneto-optical disc when the magneto-optical disc or cartridge type disc is loaded on and/or ejected from the magneto-optical disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus. As an example of such retracting mechanism, there is known an apparatus in which an upper lid is opened and/or closed about a hinge shaft. In this conventional apparatus, an arm that holds the magnetic head is rotated about the fulcrum shaft in a ganged relation with the upper lid.
If, however, the above system in which the head holding arm is rotated in a ganged relation with the open and/or close of the upper lid is applied to the above recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which the magneto-optical disc or cartridge disc is loaded by a so-called slot-in loading system, then the entire arrangement of the apparatus becomes large in size, which therefore hinders the apparatus from being made compact in size. Further, as the magnetic head holding arm is utilized repeatedly, the magnetic head holding arm is fluctuated in operation because of an accuracy problem. There is then the problem such that the magnetic head cannot record and/or reproduce an information signal on and/or from the magneto-optical disc at its desired position accurately.